Stung
by 666DarkestAngel666
Summary: This is for JanuarySunshine13. Missing scene in UBLM, set between 28 & 29. Big Dean is stung by a bee & almost dies. Scared!de-aged!Dean. Hurt!bigDean. Worried!Sam/Bobby.
1. stung

**STUNG  
**

**This is for JanuarySunshine13, who wanted big Dean to be stung by a bee.**** Set between 28 & 29 of UBLM, since I skipped through a few days of big Dean's first visit, and it won't fit in with the recent chapters.**

**Big Dean gets stung by a bee.**

It was early afternoon on the first full day of Dean's visit, both of the Deans were busy washing the Impala.

"You've missed a bit," big Dean told his younger self, pointing at a dry spot on the Impalas back door.

"Oops." The little boy dipped his sponge in the bucket, and washed the door. "Dat wight?"

"Yep. Awesome job, mini-me."

Little Dean blushed shyly. "Fank you. Impa wook pwetty, Dean knight."

"I know. She's beautiful, ain't she?" asked big Dean, washing the roof.

"Weally weally bootful."

Dean smiled proudly, but froze when he heard a sudden buzzing noise. "Oh crap," he whispered when he felt something land on the back of his neck.

Little Dean looked up at him, a confused expression on his little face. "What matter, Dean knight?"

"Mini-me, do not move," he whispered, standing as still as a statue.

"Why not?" The little boy ignored what big Dean said, not understanding why he couldn't move, and playfully punched his older self on the leg. "Big meanie."

Dean cried out when he felt a sharp stinging pain on the back of his neck. "Dammit," he whispered, closing his eyes, and placing his hand on the roof of the Impala to steady himself as a wave of dizziness washed over him. "Son of a bitch."

"Dean knight?" the little boy whimpered in fear. "W-What matter?"

Big Dean didn't answer, he suddenly started wheezing, and fell to his knees.

"Dean knight, is you pay game? What doing?"

"C-C-Can't..." Big Dean broke off wheezing and gasping, his trembling hands searching through his pockets. "L-L-Lil du-ude... P-P-P-Pen."

"You's want daw picture?" asked little Dean, confused. "I not gotted pen. Want me's go get one?"

"S-S-Special p-p-p-p-pen."

"Um... What mean?" asked little Dean, panicking when his hero fell backwards, struggling to breathe. "DEAN KNIGHT!" He dropped his sponge, and fell to his knees beside big Dean, little hands going to his heaving chest. "Is you 'kay?"

"C-Can't br-breathe."

Little Dean burst into tears, bottom lip trembling in fear. "W-What matter, Dean knight? Why's not bweve?"

Dean closed his eyes, fighting to get air into his lungs.

"WAKE UP!" screamed the terrified little boy, shaking his older self frantically. "NOT GO ASEEPS! WAKE UP!"

Dean opened his eyes again, a tiny smile crossing his rapidly paling face. "B-B-B-Bossy," he wheezed.

"I-I scareded," the little boy sobbed. "What matter?"

"B-B-B-Bee," Dean gasped through his closing throat.

Little Dean's green eyes went wide in horror. "W-Where?" he asked, looking around.

Dean raised a shaking hand to the little boy's shoulder. "G-G-Get S-S-S-S-Sam... S-S-S-S-S'my."

"Awight." He shot to his feet, and ran into the house, yelling, "SAMMY! SAMMY! SAMMY! SAMMY!"

Sam ran in from the kitchen after hearing the frantic screams. "What's wrong, kiddo? Are you alright?"

"Dean knight hurted, Sammy," he whimpered, tears streaming down the little freckled face. "H-He not bweve."

Sam's eyes widened, and he ran out of the house. What he saw almost made his heart stop. "DEAN!" he screamed, running over to his big brother, who lay in a foetal position, struggling to breathe. "Oh god."

Dean slowly opened his eyes, and looked up at his brother. "B-B-B-Bee."

"Oh god no," said Sam, rummaging through Dean's pockets. "Your pen, Dean. Where's your pen?"

"D-D-Dunno." Dean threw his head back, the fight to breathe was getting harder.

"DEAN! Stay with me," said Sam, slapping Dean's ashen face gently.

Bobby and little Dean dropped to their knees beside Sam.

"Bobby, start the car" said Sam, sitting his weakening brother up against him. Tears filled his eyes when he realised Dean was barely conscious. "I gotcha." Sam turned to the upset, terrified little boy beside him. "Get in the car, kiddo. In the front with Bobby. We need to get Dean the knight to hospital **now**," he told him, putting his arms under big Dean's knees and shoulders, and lifting him up.

Dean's head fell back, his chest heaving as he struggled to say his brothers name. "S-S-"

"Hold on, Dean," Sam told his big brother, carrying him the short distance to the car, where Bobby was holding the back door open for him.

"Thanks." Sam carefully got in the back, still holding Dean tightly against his chest. "Keep breathing, Dean. Keep breathing, alright?"

Bobby helped get little Dean in the front seat, and ran around to the drivers side. "Don't worry, I'll get us there in less than five minutes."

Sam wasn't paying attention, he was busy trying to keep his brother awake. "You better not die on me, you hear me? Stay with me."

Big Dean raised his trembling hand, and gripped the front of Sam's shirt. "S'my," he wheezed, his head lolling back against Sam's shoulder. His weakening body started writhing in Sam's arms.

"Shh. It's alright, don't talk... just concentrate on breathing," begged Sam, tears spilling over his eyes, and down his cheeks.

Little Dean loosened his seatbelt, and stood in his seat, facing the two of them, his green eyes were huge in his face. "Sammy?" he whimpered through trembling lips. "My Dean knight d-d-die?"

Sam shook his head, and looked up at the little boy. "No. He's not gonna die, kiddo... because I'm not gonna let him." He turned back to big Dean, and lowered his head, so his forehead rested against his brothers. "You hear me, Dean? I won't let you die."

Dean kept his eyes on Sam, if he was going to die, he would rather be laying in his car in his little brothers arms.

Sam's heart almost broke at the fearful look in those fading green eyes. "Hey hey, remember you've got a date with that girl from the diner?" he said, doing whatever it took to keep Dean awake. "Y-You can't go when you have a date, can you? You don't wanna let the girls down."

"S'my... c-c-c-can't..." gasped Dean, eyes scrunched tightly closed, fighting to breathe.

"Nononono. Open your eyes, Dean. OPEN YOUR EYES!" yelled Sam, shaking Dean until the green eyes opened slightly. "Keep breathing... In and out, that's it. In and out."

"N-Not 'n l-l-l-l-labor," Dean managed to gasp out.

Sam shook his head, his tears landing on Dean's ashen face. "Keep fighting. That's it, you're the strongest person I know, Dean. Come on."

Dean's gasping and wheezing seemed to fill the car. His feet started kicking the back door in his struggles to get the much needed oxygen into his body.

"Dean knight kick Impa. You not woves her no more?" asked the little boy, his huge eyes were filled with tears. "Dean knight, you's hug? M-Make better."

Big Dean tried to raise his head to look at the little boy, but it took all the energy he had just to breathe.

The little boy put his thumb in his mouth as he watched his hero move around on Sam's knee like the fish he saw when they went fishing. "Why do dat, Sammy? I's scareded."

"Lil... du-ude?" gasped big Dean, gripping Sam's shirt tighter.

"Little Dean's fine, don't talk, okay?" Sam shook his head, only Dean could be dying, and still be worried about the little boy. "Bobby's driving you to the hospital, you're gonna be fine."

"S'my," wheezed Dean. His vision was starting to blur and darken around the edges as he tried unsuccessfully to take another breath, he was really struggling to inhale air through his rapidly closing throat.

Sam grabbed the trembling hand which was gripping his shirt, and held it tightly in his free hand. "Don't die," he pleaded, feeling Dean's body weakening.

Dean's eyes started to roll back as he fought desperately to breathe. Through his darkening vision, he saw a shape surrounded by a beautiful bright light. "M-Mom?"

Sam's heart dropped. "Hey hey, don't even think about it. Keep looking at me, okay? Dean? Don't look anywhere else, just look at me, Dean. Look at me, " he called frantically, patting Dean's ashen face.

Dean tried to look up at his little brother, but he felt his eyes roll back further into his head, and knew he was going to die. "S-S-S-S'ry," he whispered, eyes closing, his body going limp in Sam's arms.

"DEAN!" screamed Sam, watching Dean take one final gasping breath, his eyes fluttering closed. "NO!"

Bobby slammed his foot down, and sped up. "I'll get him there, Sam."

Little Dean's sobs filled the interior of the car as the Impala sped down the road. "Get Dean knight waked up, S-Sammy. Pees."

"Nononono. Dean, don't give up... P-Please big brother," Sam begged tearfully, putting his mouth against the cold lifeless lips of his brother to blow into his mouth. "Please please please." Sam knew it was useless since Dean's throat was swelling shut, but he wasn't giving his brother up without a fight.

"Is you gi-give him kiss, Sammy? Dat m-make him better?" asked Dean through his sobs.

Sam didn't answer. "Come on, Dean... Fight." He was so focused on trying to revive his brother, he didn't notice they had arrived at the hospital until Bobby opened the back door.

"Come on Sam, get him in the hospital where they can help him," said the older man in a voice filled with emotion.

Sam nodded, and carefully got out of the car with his lifeless brother cradled in his arms. Dean's head fell back limply, so Bobby gently slipped his hand under the young man's lax head, shifting it gently until it came to rest on Sam's shoulder.

"Thanks. Bring little Dean in," Sam told him, before running into the hospital with Dean in his arms. "SOMEBODY HELP ME! I NEED A DOCTOR!"

Two nurses rushed over with a gurney after seeing the frantic young man. "What happened?" one of them asked, helping Sam gently lower his brother onto the bed.

Sam gently ran his fingers over Dean's cold pale cheek. "H-He's allergic to bees... one of them stung him... not sure where. Please save him," he begged.

"Alright sir. We'll do everything we can," said the other nurse as they rushed Dean into one of the treatment rooms.

"SAMMY!" yelled little Dean as Bobby carried him in through the doors. "W-Where Dean knight, Sammy?"

"The doctors are helping him, kiddo," Sam told him, taking his little brother into his arms and walking over to sit in the waiting chairs.

Dean wrapped his small arms around Sam's neck and burst into fresh tears. "I's want Dean knight."

Sam ran his hand over the little back soothingly, hiding his face in the little boy's soft blond hair as he cried too.

* * *

Half an hour later, Dean was still in the treatment room. Sam was slowly losing his mind in the waiting area. Bobby was trying to keep it together. Little Dean was devastated, and couldn't stop crying.

Sam kept squeezing the little boy in tight hugs to convince himself it wasn't little Dean that was dying, he couldn't live through that again. Both that day and today were the worst days of his life.

"D-Dean knight," cried little Dean, gripping a handful of Sam's shirt. "Want Dean knight."

Sam didn't answer, he sat staring at the door to the room Dean was in, tears streaming down his cheeks. He didn't seem to notice he was crying.

"Come here, little man."

Dean sniffled, and held his arms out. "Unca Bee-bee," he whimpered, throwing his arms around his uncles neck. "I scareded."

"Shh. I know, little man. I know," whispered Bobby, his hand cradling the back of his head, fingers stroking through the blond hair. He looked at Sam in concern. "Sam, are ya alright?" When Sam didn't answer, he put his hand on his shoulder. "Sam?"

Sam jumped, and turned to him. The look in his eyes almost broke Bobby's heart. "What?" He looked down, and panicked when he realised he was no longer holding little Dean. "DEAN! Where is he?"

"Calm down, Sam. He's here."

Dean moved away from Bobby slightly, and looked up at Sam with his huge watery eyes, his finger in his mouth. "S-Sammy."

"A-Are you alright, baby?" asked Sam in a trembling voice, reaching over to stroke the little freckled face.

Dean shook his head sadly. "D-Dean knight not b-bweve, Sammy. I's weally scareded and sad."

"I know, kiddo. Me too."

Dean's little face crumpled, and he started crying again, which started Sam off.

"I-I need Dean, Bobby. I need him, he can't..." Sam couldn't finish, he started sobbing uncontrollably.

"Come here," said Bobby, putting his free arm around Sam, and pulling him close. "I've got ya both."

Sam hid his face in Bobby's shoulder, hand gripping tightly to the older man's shirt as he cried.

"Shh." A tear slipped slowly down Bobby's cheek, but he wiped it away, he had to be strong for his boys right now.

* * *

Forty minutes later, a doctor finally came to talk to the little family. "Mr Singer?"

Sam sniffed, and pulled away from Bobby. "I'm Sam, D-Dean's brother." He was too upset to notice he had said the 'B' word in-front of little Dean.

The doctor nodded, and sat beside him. "Right..."

Before he could say anything, little Dean raised his head and stared at the doctor. "Where my Dean knight? Nasty bee stinged him," he told him, breath hitching as he started getting upset again.

The doctor smiled at the distraught little boy. "I know. I'm Dr McDonald. I've been treating Dean. It was touch and go, we had trouble getting the tube down his throat since it had almost swollen shut, and he wasn't breathing... but we managed to get him breathing again. He's been transferred to ICU for the night, as a precaution. We'll be giving him some extra epi pens in-case it happens again."

Sam sighed in relief, and smiled at the doctor. "Thank you so much."

"That's my job."

"I see my Dean knight pees?" asked the little boy, wiping his eyes.

"I'm sorry. Children aren't allowed in ICU."

Dean's eyes went big and round, swimming with tears. "P-Pees, pees, pees. He gotted weally hurted by nasty bee."

"Can't you make an exception?" asked Sam, taking him back into his arms. "He was there when Dean got stung, he just needs to see he's alright. He hasn't stopped crying since it happened."

The doctor was about to say no again, but he took another look at the upset little boy. "Okay. But just this once." He leaned towards the little boy slightly to prepare him. "I know it might look scary in there, Dean still looks a little poorly... he has an oxygen mask over his face, and he's hooked up to a heart monitor, but he's awake right now."

Dean gasped, a happy smile crossing his face. "He waked up?"

"Yes, and he was asking for Sammy and a... little dude," he said with a frown. "I think he's confused, and a little out of it right now."

Sam wiped his face. "His little dude is right here," he said, ruffling the soft blond hair. "That's what he always calls little Dean."

"Oh right. It makes sense now. He was panicking his little dude had been stung... we thought he meant something else," said the doctor, cheeks going slightly red.

Bobby chuckled, and shook his head. "So can we see him?"

"Are you family?"

"Yeah. We're the only family he's got. I'm his uncle... more like his dad."

"Very well. I'll send a nurse to come get you when we've got him situated in a room," he told them, standing up.

Sam nodded, and shook the doctors hand. "Thanks."

Dr McDonald smiled, and headed back to his patient.

The two men and little boy started smiling, and hugged each other.

"I punch dat nasty bee dat stinged my big dude," said the little boy, for the moment forgetting he was actually terrified of bees.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the three of them were being escorted to big Dean's hospital room. Little Dean was bouncing in Sam's arms while they walked down the corridor.

Inside the room, little Dean gasped when he saw his older self.

Laying propped up in the bed, Dean had his eyes closed, his face was slightly swollen, and almost as white as the sheets. He was now wearing a nasal cannula, since he did well with the oxygen mask. He slowly opened his eyes when he heard the gasp.

"DEAN KNIGHT!" screamed little Dean, a joyful smile crossing his face.

"Hey, my little dude," he said in a weak raspy voice.

Little Dean giggled for the first time since it happened when Sam gently lowered him onto the bed.

The nurse by Dean's bed smiled at them, and turned to leave. "I'll leave you to see your family, Dean."

"How are you feeling?" asked Sam, sitting on the edge of the bed to give Dean a quick hug. "You scared us all half to death. Don't you ever do that again."

"It wasn't exactly a b-barrel of laughs for me e-either."

Bobby sat in the chair by Dean's bedside. "It's good to see ya awake, son."

"Can I go home yet?" he asked, wincing in pain.

Sam rolled his eyes. "No. You're staying here for the night, and no arguing."

Little Dean crawled up big Dean's chest, and laid down. "You's bweve now? What dat?" he asked, pointing at his nose.

"It's called a nasal cannula, mini-me. I need a bit of help breathing, so that's helping me."

"Hurts you?" asked the little boy worriedly.

"Nah. I'm fine." He saw the look on little Dean's face, and tried to soothe him. "I promise it doesn't hurt. I'd let you wear it, but it'll probably have my snot on it."

The three men smiled when the little boy giggled. "Dat yucky, Dean knight. I see you's feckwes," he said, pointing at the pale freckled cheeks.

"I see yours too," said big Dean, running his fingers gently over the tiny nose, then pressed it gently. "Beeeeeep."

Dean giggled again. "Woves you, Dean knight."

"Love you too," he said, holding the little boy in his arms. "Are you okay? That bee didn't hurt you, did he?"

Dean shook his head sniffling, his bottom lip trembling. "I's wight scared, Dean knight."

"Shh." Dean tried to comfort the little boy as he ran his hand over the little back. "It's alright. It'll take more than some pansy-ass bee to kill Dean the knight."

Little Dean smiled, and laid his head on big Dean's chest.

Sam frowned worriedly. "Is he alright laying on you like that? He's not hurting your chest, is he? You shouldn't have any pressure on your chest... you nearly died."

"I'm fine. He's that light, I can barely tell he's there."

Little Dean wiped his eyes. "I hear you's go boom boom," he whispered, listening to the thump thump of his hero's heart.

Big Dean started blinking rapidly, making Sam panic. "Dean? Are you alright?"

Little Dean's head shot up, and he stared at his older self closely. "Is you 'kay, Dean knight?"

"Yeah. I'm just a little tired."

"You's not go aseeps," said little Dean, shaking his head, eyes big and round. "You's... you's die."

"I'm not gonna..." Dean shook his head, stroking the freckled cheek with his thumb. "I'll tell you what... You can lay on my chest, and listen to my heart beating while I sleep, okay? So you're not scared."

"Awight," he said, resting his head against big Dean's chest, sniffling and wiping his nose.

"Are you really alright?"

"Yeah. The back of my neck hurts a little, and my throats a bit sore... but apart from that, I'm fine."

Sam bit his trembling lip, and nodded. "You better be. Get some rest, okay? You're probably exhausted. You've been through a lot."

"We'll be here when ya wake up."

Big Dean closed his eyes, his arm still wrapped around the little boy.

Little Dean reached up, and gave big Dean a kiss on his pale cheek. "Woves you woads and woads." He smiled at Sam, and snuggled against big Dean's chest, putting his thumb in his mouth as he listened to Dean's heart beat.

"Are you tired too?" Sam asked his little brother.

Dean nodded, and rubbed his teary eyes. "B-But I's want hear Dean knight."

"You can still hear his heart even when you're asleep. Get some sleep too, kiddo. We'll let you stay with Dean the knight, okay?"

Dean nodded, and closed his eyes, sucking his thumb. It wasn't long before he fell asleep laying on big Dean's chest, listening to the soothing, comforting sound of his heart.

Sam let go of big Dean's hand for a minute, to cover the two sleeping Deans up with the blanket. "Sweet dreams you two."

**TBC**

**Hope you like**

**Part 2 will explain why little Dean doesn't remember big Dean being stung in UBLM.**


	2. Recovery

**CHAPTER TWO**

**Big Dean recovers, while little Dean struggles with what he saw.  
**

The next morning, Dean woke up to a light weight on his chest. Opening his eyes, he looked down and saw little Dean still fast asleep on him, his thumb in his mouth.

"How are you feeling?" asked Sam, from his place by Dean's bedside.

"Okay. Has he been there all night?" he asked, nodding down at the sleeping child.

"Yeah. I don't think he's gotten over the scare from yesterday. He had a couple of nightmares and woke up a few times, crying," Sam told him quietly, stroking little Dean's cheek. "He only settled down again when he could hear your heart beating. When I suggested sleeping in the other bed, he got upset and started clinging to you."

"Poor little guy," Dean whispered, running his thumb down the freckled cheek. "Did you get any sleep at all?"

A slight blush covered Sam's cheeks, and he shook his head. "No. I wanted to make sure you was okay... and I had to stay up in-case little Dean got upset again and needed me."

Ten minutes later, the little boy shifted and muttered in his sleep, before his eyelids slowly started fluttering. "Where Dean knight?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"You're laying on him, kiddo."

Little Dean lifted his head to look at the bed-ridden hunter. "You's 'kay Dean knight?" he asked, reaching up to kiss the pale cheek.

"Yep. I'm awesome, mini-me. Are you okay?"

The little boy shook his head, and lowered his head back over big Dean's chest, his thumb still in his mouth. He was so busy listening, he didn't notice big Dean and Sam share a worried look.

Bobby came into the room armed with coffee, orange juice, a yoghurt, and sandwiches for breakfast. "Hey sleepyheads."

A small smile lit up little Dean's face as he sat up to see his uncle Bobby. "Hiya unca Bee-bee."

"Hiya little man. Did ya have a nice sleep?" he asked, holding out the orange juice to him.

"Fank you unca Bee-bee," said the little boy, taking the carton of juice, and not answering the question.

"Yer welcome." Bobby handed out the food and drinks to the others, and sat down in his chair. He smiled when he saw the look of disgust on big Dean's face when he saw the yoghurt. "Before ya start having a bitch fit, the doctor said to eat soft things like that since yer throat is still sore. How are ya feeling?"

Big Dean swallowed a spoonful of the yoghurt, and looked up to see Bobby was looking at him with a concerned expression. "A lot better than yesterday."

"Good. But do that again, and I'm gonna kill ya."

"Don't worry. I'm not planning on dying anytime soon. When can I go home?"

Bobby and Sam rolled their eyes in unison. "I spoke to the doc while I was getting breakfast, and he said if there are no changes from last night, ya can go home later. But he's coming in to check on ya in an hour or so."

"Cool." As Dean ate his yoghurt and drank his orange juice, he kept shooting worried glances at the little boy, who was snuggled up to his side as he ate his breakfast.

* * *

Later, the doctor said Dean was allowed to go home, as long as he took it easy. He was sitting on the edge of his bed with little Dean on his knee, waiting for Sam.

"Hey Dean. You ready to get out of here?" asked Sam, coming into the room with a nurse and a wheelchair. He smiled when he saw his brother was glaring at the chair. "Before you say anything, you're not going anywhere without it."

Dean got up, and continued scowling as he crossed the room, little Dean's hand in his. "I hate these things."

"I know." Sam patted his shoulder, and smiled at the nurse. "I can take it from here."

"Okay. Bye guys," she said, waving at the two Deans.

Dean winked and smiled at her. "Bye sweetheart."

"Bye bye, pwetty nursie," said little Dean, waving at her. He placed his little hands on the back of the chair, and tried to push it, but it was going nowhere.

"Dean, you can't push that. You're not big enough."

"I is Sammy. I big," he told him, standing on his tiptoes, which didn't make much difference; he was still less than 3 foot tall.

Sam laughed, and lifted him up to sit him on big Dean's knee. "How about going for a ride?"

Little Dean gasped, and threw his arms around big Dean's torso when the chair started moving. "We's move," he whispered, placing his ear over Dean's heart again.

Big Dean smiled, and stroked the blond hair. "It's alright little dude. I'm okay."

"Woves you," he whispered, looking up at him with a cute little smile, his tiny freckled nose scrunched up.

"Love you too."

Sam looked down at his two Deans fondly, and continued pushing them towards the exit of the hospital. In the parking lot, he quickly found Bobby waiting by the Impala, and headed in his direction.

"Hiya Unca Bee-bee."

"Hey little man," he replied, lifting him up from big Dean's knee, and placing him in the backseat. He turned to the wheelchair, but Sam was already helping his brother stand up. "Need any help?"

"No. I've got him," said Sam, helping Dean into the car. "There you go."

"Thanks Sammy."

As soon as big Dean sat down, little Dean shifted closer, and sat on his knee with his ear against his chest again.

Big Dean raised his eyebrows, and wrapped his arms around the upset little boy. "I'm alright, little dude. You don't have to keep listening anymore," he whispered, fingers stroking his soft hair.

Little Dean's face crumpled as he suddenly burst into tears, and hugged him tighter.

"Hey what's wrong, kiddo? Are you alright?" asked a worried Sam, climbing into the backseat with them.

"Mini-me, why are you crying? Are you hurt?"

Bobby climbed into the driver's seat, and turned around to see what was wrong. "What happened?"

"We don't know. He just burst into tears. Come on, little dude. Talk to me, you're freaking everyone out."

The little boy sniffled, and continued crying, but didn't respond, which made the three men even more worried.

"Hey Bobby, start driving. It might calm him down a little," said big Dean, rubbing his back in soothing circles.

"Shh. It's alright," soothed Sam, stroking his fingers down the freckled cheek.

Bobby started the car, and drove out of the parking lot, hoping that it did its usual job and soothed the little boy. He kept shooting concerned glances in the rear-view mirror to see the older Winchesters try and calm the distraught Dean down.

"Tell me what's wrong, kiddo. Come on. Shh. It's alright, Dean the knight's fine," Sam told him in a gentle voice, finally realising what was wrong with him.

"I-I'S SAD!" he cried, holding onto big Dean tighter.

Dean and Sam shared another worried look, and wrapped their arms around him to give him a hug. "I know. But he's all better and he can breathe."

That was the wrong thing to say as it seemed to remind the little boy of the day before when big Dean was struggling to breathe and then stopped. His eyes scrunched closed and he wailed even louder, making their ears hurt.

The screams broke Sam's heart and he couldn't help the tears that fell down his cheeks. He reached over and took him from his older brother. "I've got you. Shh. Come on," he whispered, holding him to his own chest. "Sammy's got you."

Dean's breathing hitched, and tears flowed down his red freckled cheeks, as he sobbed his heart out, clinging onto Sam's shirt.

Sam started rocking him gently from side to side, humming Metallica to sooth him. "Hurry up Bobby."

Bobby clenched his hands tightly around the steering wheel and put his foot down so they could get home sooner and make sure the little boy was okay. His cries were heartbreaking.

* * *

By the time the Impala pulled up into Bobby's yard, Dean had cried himself to sleep and was laying in Sam's arms.

"Get him in the house," Bobby told him, looking down at the sleeping child in concern.

Sam kissed his little brother's cheek, and climbed out of the car when Bobby held the door open. "Make sure big Dean's okay," he told the older man, and rushed up to the house with little Dean cradled to his chest.

"Come on son," said Bobby, reaching over to help the older Dean when he climbed out of the car.

Dean tried to shrug the hand off, but Bobby was going nowhere. "The little dude needs you. He's upset."

"Yeah. And he's also asleep right now. Now shut up and let me help. Ya nearly died yesterday."

"Fine." Dean sighed and rolled his eyes, as the two slowly walked up to the house, so the young man didn't get dizzy.

Making it into the house, the two of them came to a stop when they saw Sam knelt in-front of the couch stroking his fingers through the blond hair, talking to the sleeping little boy bundled up into the blankets with Zeppelin laying beside him, licking his cheek.

"How is he?" Dean whispered to Sam, as Bobby led him over to his chair so he could sit down.

Sam looked over at him for a second, before turning back to little Dean. "He's resting. But I don't know how he'll be when he wakes up. I've never seen him like that before."

"Me neither. The poor little man was devastated. What are we gonna do?"

"What do you mean?" asked a confused Sam.

"I mean, we can't leave him like that. The kid is traumatised about what he saw yesterday. We have to do something to help him."

"Hey, why don't we get one of those memory eraser things like the men in black use?" suggested Dean with a shrug.

Sam and Bobby stared at him. "Yeah. We'll get right on that."

"What do you suggest then?"

Sam watched little Dean sleep, as he thought of something that could help him. "Missouri. She helped him with his nightmares before."

"Yeah, but nightmares are different from actual memories."

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I can't sit here and watch him like this," said Sam, looking up at the two men for a second. When Dean started whimpering in his sleep, Sam's expression softened immediately and he whispered soothingly to him.

"It's alright, kiddo. Sammy's here. Shh. It's okay."

Zeppelin whined softly, and licked the freckled cheek, nuzzling his face against Dean's gently until he settled down again. When Dean was sleeping peacefully, Zeppelin laid back down with his head resting on Dean's shoulder, and continued keeping watch over his best friend.

"He's pretty good with him, ain't he?" whispered big Dean, watching the cute scene on the couch with a soft smile on his face.

"Yeah. He's been protective of Dean since they met, and looks after him while playing with him too. So he has a playmate and protector in one. They've been inseparable ever since."

Dean smiled, and settled back in the chair when he started feeling a little light headed. "Missouri might be the only person who can help the little dude. I think we should call her, if she can help, great... If she can't, we'll just think of something else to help him."

Sam nodded, and got his phone out with his free hand to call the psychic, trying his best not to disturb Dean as he spoke quietly to her. "Hey Missouri. It's Sam..."

During the conversation, Sam raised his voice slightly, which made Dean flinch and cry out. Zeppelin lifted his head, and growled at Sam in warning, and he shifted closer to Dean, almost curling around the tiny form protectively.

Dean sighed and snuggled up to his dog almost as if he was his teddy bear, one tiny fist clenched into the soft black and golden fur.

"Sorry," Sam whispered quietly, using one hand to stroke Dean's cheek while he spoke on the phone. Several minutes later, he hung up and turned to the two waiting men.

"What did she say? Can she help the little man?"

"She said she'll come as soon as she can, but couldn't promise that she could help him." Sam sighed, and leaned forward to lay a soft kiss to Dean's forehead. "I hope she can."

* * *

Over two hours later, little Dean was awake and clinging tightly to big Dean, cuddled up to his chest again. Since he woke up, he had refused all food and wasn't talking, not even to Sam.

"Where the hell is she?" asked Sam for the twelfth time in the past hour, chewing on his thumbnail almost frantically. He was worried earlier, but that seemed like nothing compared to what he felt like now.

"She'll be here soon, Sam. Try and calm down," whispered Bobby. He wouldn't admit it, but he was as worried as Sam.

"I AM CALM!" yelled Sam, before closing his eyes and putting his hands over his face. "Sorry. It's just... he's even worse than he was earlier. I can't..." He trailed off, and stood from the couch to walk to the other side of the room. Seeing his brother like this was breaking his heart, and he couldn't even do anything to help him.

"He's gonna be okay, Sam," big Dean told him, trying to calm the little boy down when he got upset again. "Hey, I'm alright mini-me. Shh. Come on." He stood up and cradled the back of his little head, before walking from one side of the room to the other, gently rocking him from side to side, singing softly into his ear.

"So close no matter how far, couldn't be much more from the heart. Forever trust in who we are. And nothing else matters. Never opened myself this way, life is ours, we live it our way. All these words I don't just say. And nothing else matters..."

Dean continued to sob, his breath hitching and hiccuping as he cried his eyes out, and listened to big Dean's heart and his singing. He nearly jumped out of his skin when there were three loud bangs at the door, followed by the bell ringing.

When big Dean went to sit back down, Zeppelin shot up, and stood in-front of Dean protectively, barking savagely, brown eyes blazing as he glared at the door as if it was a hellhound.

"Finally," breathed Sam, running to answer the door. "Hey Missouri. Come in."

"Thank you Sam. Where's your brother." Walking into the room, she nodded at big Dean who was holding his younger self in his arms, a tiny smile on his ashen face. "Hey trouble. Been up to any mischief since I last saw you."

"I'm a good little boy, I am," he said, fluttering his long eyelashes and giving his most innocent expression.

Sam blinked in surprise, his eyebrows shooting up into his hair. "Since when have you been British?"

"I spoke in a British accent? Huh. That was weird."

Missouri shook her head fondly, and turned her attention to Sam. "I can get rid of nightmares, but I'm not so good at erasing real memories. But a friend of mine... who's a white witch helped me make a special potion which erases the last 24 hours." Seeing the expressions on the other mens faces, she tried to explain, but Sam beat her to it.

"A witch? A witch made that potion? How do you know it isn't poison? I won't let you give it to him if a witch made it," said Sam, standing between her and his brother beside a still growling Zeppelin.

"Believe me Sam, I wouldn't do anything if I knew it was going to harm Dean."

"What's her name? I'll try and find something about her in one of Bobby's books. We don't work with witches, and I can't trust one with my little brother's life."

"I don't work with witches either, but Gabrielle is a very close friend of mine."

Sam froze and stared at her for several seconds. "Gabrielle? You know her?"

Dean looked over at his brother, and saw he had turned white. "You alright Sammy? You look about as colourful as milk," he said, forgetting for the moment that right now he would make a ghost look tanned.

"Of course. I wouldn't trust her if I didn't." Missouri frowned. "Friend of yours?"

"She's the one who..." He broke off and gestured to the little boy.

Missouri nodded, and turned to little Dean, letting Sam get over the shock. "Hey honey." She didn't seem surprised to see two Deans sitting on the couch, she was more surprised about the big snarling dog in-front of the couch, barking at her, refusing to let her near his best friend.

Even though Missouri had helped Dean before when he was smaller, it was as if Zeppelin had forgotten who she was. Whenever she tried to get passed him, Zeppelin darted in-front of her, growling savagely, his hackles raised as if he was about to attack.

"Down Zeppelin," said Bobby, trying to get him to move. "She's not here to hurt him, she's going to help him. Come on boy, let her see him."

Big Dean reached over and stroked him with one hand, and did the only thing he could think of- using his number one weakness. "Zep, the little dude needs you. Let her come closer, she's gonna help him." When he saw Zeppelin look towards him, he smiled and said, "Chill out and come see him, he's looking for you."

After barking at Missouri one more time in warning, Zeppelin jumped up onto the couch and sat beside big Dean to lick the little boys red blotchy face.

"It's safe to come over now," big Dean told her, watching the little boy take one fist away from his shirt and stroke his dog.

Dean sniffled and gave a tiny smile as he leaned over slightly and snuggled up to the overprotective German shepherd, not moving too far away from big Dean's chest.

Missouri moved to sit beside them, being careful not to sit too close to the dog, who was dividing his attention between licking Dean's face and glaring at her, silently warning her not to hurt him. "Remember me? It's Missi."

The little boy looked up at her, his green eyes darting around her face, before he nodded shyly, hiding his face in Zeppelin's soft fur.

"Well, I'm here to make those bad memories go away. So you're not scared or sad, okay?" she asked the little boy, who nodded again. Missouri opened the bag she had, and rummaged through it until she had what she was looking for.

Big Dean was staring at the vial of liquid she was holding, a troubled expression on his pale face. "24 hours? He'll still remember me, right? I mean... he won't forget me?"

"Don't worry. As if anybody could forget you," she said, giving him a wink, before her expression turned serious again. "How long have you been back here? Was it earlier than yesterday?"

"Er... I think I came here the day before yesterday. Sammy?"

"Yeah. Two days ago," said Sam, still in shock at hearing the name of the witch who had turned Dean into a child.

"Okay. So he'll definitely remember you, but none of the things that happened yesterday and this morning."

The men sighed in unison, relieved that the little boy wouldn't remember seeing his hero almost die. Dean was also relieved the little boy wouldn't forget him too.

Missouri asked for little Dean to be laid down on the couch and got out two candles, and lit them, before rubbing something on the little forehead. "I need one more thing. Have you boys got any incense?"

"Well... There was a spider in the bath the other night," Dean told her, smiling at the memory. "Samuel started screaming like a woman when he was in the shower. I thought Norman Bates was in there with him or something." He raised his eyebrows when he saw everyone turn to stare at him as if he had suddenly grown another head. "What?"

"Dean, she's asking for _Incense, _not _Insects," _Sam told him with a smile.

"Oh." Dean was silent for several seconds, before he shrugged and said, "I don't even know what that is."

"I've got some in the library," said Bobby, trying not to smile as he walked out of the room to get the needed item.

Sam was watching the tiny three year old laying on the couch, looking nervously up at the people standing around the couch, looking down at him. His huge eyes teared up again, and his bottom lip began trembling.

"Hey, it's alright kiddo," he soothed, kneeling back down to stroke his face and hold his hand. "Nobody is going to hurt you. We'll be right here with you every step of the way."

It wasn't until Zeppelin nudged his little hand and barked once that Dean settled down and continued staring up at his big brother as if he could protect him from everything in the world.

"I'm here. I love you," Sam whispered, leaning forward to kiss his nose. "Everything is gonna be okay. You hear me?"

A tiny smile crossed Dean's little face, and he reached his arms out for a hug, which Sam gave him with tears shining in his eyes. Holding his brother, Sam could feel Dean's heart racing against his chest, and it broke his own heart when he realised how scared the little boy really was.

"You don't ever have to be scared of anything as long as I'm around," he whispered into Dean's ear, and laid him down gently on the couch.

When Bobby came back and gave Missouri the incense, the psychic got everything ready. "Close your eyes and relax, honey." After looking up at his big brother again, Dean closed his eyes, still squeezing onto Sam's hand.

Missouri completed what she needed to, and was about to give the potion to Dean when Sam grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Sam? You okay?"

"He... It won't hurt him, will it? I can't... Please tell me it won't hurt him," he pleaded tearfully.

"Don't worry. The potion is harmless, but he will remain asleep for a couple of hours while his brain rewires and recovers from the memory loss."

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat and looked at little Dean, biting his lip. After a few seconds, he let go of her arm, and nodded. "Okay."

The psychic patted Sam's shoulder comfortingly, and lifted Dean's head slightly, holding the cup to his lips. "Hey honey, can you hear me?" she asked Dean, who nodded with his eyes scrunched closed. "I'm going to need you to drink this, can you do that for me?" When Dean nodded again, she carefully helped him drink it, making him grimace at the taste.

When the cup was empty, Missouri placed it in a plastic bag, and gently lowered Dean's head back on the cushion. "Wait for about ten seconds."

A few seconds later, which seemed like hours to the people gathered around the couch, the little boy shuddered once and opened his bright green eyes, smiling up at Sam. "Sammy," he whispered, speaking for the first time in hours, before his eyes fluttered closed again and his little body went limp.

A sob broke from Sam's throat, and he leaned forward to lay a soft kiss to Dean's cheek, whispering in his ear quietly so the others didn't hear him. After a minute, he turned to look at Missouri through watery eyes. "How long until he wakes up?"

"About two hours, give or take a few minutes," she told him, standing up. "My work here is done, I have somewhere else to be. Call if you need my help again... I'll know if you don't." She smiled at the men, and let herself out, leaving them to wait for the little boy to wake up.

Sam covered Dean up and lifted him gently into his arms, before sitting on the couch with him cradled to his chest. Zeppelin jumped up beside him, and laid with his head on Dean's legs, looking up at him with his big brown eyes, and whining softly.

Big Dean suddenly started blinking rapidly and he would have collapsed to the floor if Bobby's reflexes hadn't been as sharp as shards of broken glass.

Bobby caught him around the waist and held him close, holding the back of Dean's head where it rested against his shoulder. "Whoa son. Are ya okay?" he asked, leading him over to sit in his chair.

"What's wrong?" asked Sam, watching them with a concerned expression. He wanted to get up and see for himself, but he wasn't willing to let his little brother go yet.

Bobby knelt beside the chair, and placed his hand on Dean's ashen cheek, cradling his face gently and raising it, so he could look at him. "Hey. Can ya hear me? Are ya alright?"

"Yeah. I just got a little dizzy."

"Do I have to remind ya what happened yesterday? Ya nearly died, yer supposed to be resting, idjit."

"I had more important things to worry about."

"Oh really? Like what? What could be more important than resting after nearly dying the day before?" asked Bobby with raised eyebrows.

"I wanted to make sure the little dude was okay," Dean told him, trying to move away, but Bobby held onto him.

Sam shook his head. "Dean, you need to put yourself first for a change, and take better care of yourself."

Dean settled back into the chair, but was still looking at the sleeping little boy. Even after a near-death experience, he was more worried about little Dean.

"I'm gonna get ya something to eat. Stay in that chair, or I'll come back in and tie ya to it," Bobby warned, pointing at him with narrowed eyes, before getting up to walk into the kitchen.

Dean closed his eyes, and took a few deep breaths. When he opened them a few seconds later, it was to see Sam looking worriedly at him.

"Are you okay? Should we take you back to the hospital?" he asked his brother, while continuing to stroke little Dean's hair. "Your breathing is not getting worse again, is it? Is your throat alright?"

"Er..." Dean blinked in surprise at all the sudden questions, and tried to remember what he was asked. Unable to remember, he shook his head, and tried to reassure him. "I'm okay, Sammy... I promise."

Sam continued looking at him for at least two minutes, his eyes darting over Dean to make sure he was really okay. When he felt satisfied he wasn't going to suddenly stop breathing again, Sam finally relaxed and turned his attention back to little Dean. But big Dean noticed that Sam was still keeping watch on him too.

Bobby came in with something for Dean to eat and drink, and sat on the table in-front of the chair, so he could keep an eye on him, making Dean roll his eyes.

"You don't have to worry about me, you know," Dean told them, reluctantly eating the yoghurt Bobby had given him.

"Well, someone needs to."

"Mini-me needs you more than I do. I can take care of myself. I'm..."

"If ya say yer fine one more time, I'm gonna take my boot off and beat ya around the head with it," threatened Bobby, trying to act as though he wasn't as worried as he felt. "Sam can take care of the little man. I'm staying right here to make sure ya don't end up collapsing again. So stop being a stubborn idjit and let somebody look after ya for a change."

Dean sighed and shook his head. "Fine. But only for ten minutes. I get bored if I'm not doing anything."

Bobby smirked and looked over at Sam and winked, making the younger man smile. Dean could complain as much as he wanted to, there was no way Bobby was leaving him alone for the rest of the day.

As Sam watched little Dean sleeping in his arms, he couldn't help but wonder about Missouri's friendship with Gabrielle. He wondered if she had asked the witch to do it for whatever reason, or if it was just a coincidence. The thoughts were circling around in his head almost making him dizzy, but if he had to be honest, he didn't really care whose idea it was.

This was the best year of his life. Not only had it given him his only chance to be a dad, but also the opportunity to give Dean the childhood he really deserved, something he would always remember with happy memories rather than the terrible ones after their mother died.

He couldn't think of a better time in his life, and for the first time he was really happy.

**TBC**

**Hope you like****  
**


	3. memories

**CHAPTER THREE**

Later, when Dean had fallen asleep, Bobby had brought down some more blankets to cover him up, and was now watching over him as he slept to make sure he was alright. He was a little worried because Dean still hadn't regained any colour in his cheeks, and the back of his neck where the bee had stung him was still a bit swollen.

Little Dean was still sleeping in his big brothers arms. Sam and Zeppelin had refused to leave him until he woke up, and Sam kept asking Bobby how big Dean was, and vice versa. All three of them was just as worried about the two Deans as each other, but wouldn't admit it.

"The little man still okay?"

"Yeah. I wish he'd wake up," Sam whispered, smiling at Zeppelin when he started licking Dean's fingers again and nudging his leg.

When he remained asleep, Zeppelin looked up at Sam with his big puppy dog eyes and started whining.

"I know. I miss him too," said Sam, stroking him with his free hand.

Adjusting Dean slightly so he could hold him closer, Sam's hand came across a damp patch on the back of Dean's jeans that he hadn't noticed earlier. Frowning, he looked at his hand and back down at Dean, before he realised the poor thing had been so scared earlier he had wet himself, so he asked Bobby to go and get a pair of Dean's pajamas.

"There ya go," he said a few minutes later, handing the Batman pajamas to Sam, who took them with a smile. "Do ya need any help?"

"No. I've got it." Sam sat his limp brother up in his arms, and had to support his head when it lolled limply backwards. Closing his eyes, he cradled the back of the small head, and held it against his shoulder. Holding his lifeless brother like this was just too similar to holding big Dean yesterday as he was dying in his arms, and he couldn't help the tears that trailed down his cheeks.

"Come here." Bobby knelt in-front of the couch and took them back, and helped Sam take Dean's clothes off, leaving the blanket over his lower half. He couldn't help smiling when Zeppelin kept nudging him when he got in the way of his view of his best friend.

"There we go," he whispered, carefully placing the little arms and legs into the appropriate holes. When Dean was dressed comfortably in his Batman PJ's, Bobby ran his hand through the soft blond hair as Sam adjusted the blanket back over him to keep him warm.

"I bet that's better isn't it?" Sam whispered, kissing his cheek. When there was no answer, he laid his cheek against Dean's spiky hair, and rocked him gently in his arms.

* * *

It was almost an hour later when Zeppelin made them both jump when he suddenly started barking excitedly, and got down from the couch. He didn't go far, he only walked to the other side of the couch closer to Dean's head, and jumped up with his paws resting on Sam's legs. Zeppelin barked again and licked his face, nuzzling the freckled cheek lovingly, his tail wagging in excitement.

"What's wrong Zeppelin?" asked a worried Sam, trying to get him down, but the dog refused to budge. It wasn't until he heard a whisper that he understood Zeppelin's excitement.

"Zep'n."

Sam gasped and looked down to see Dean's eyelids fluttering, and two green eyes looking at him. "Dean? Hey baby, can you hear me?" he asked his brother, who smiled and nodded. A big grin lit up Sam's face as he hugged him, and laid kisses all over his face, making him giggle.

"Hey little man," said a relieved Bobby, kneeling beside Zeppelin. He reached over and gave the little boy a gentle squeeze. "It's so good to see ya smile like that."

"Woves you Sammy and woves you unca Bee-bee and Zeppin," he whispered against Bobby's chest, one hand clenched in Zeppelin's fur.

"What about me?" came a deep voice from the other side of the room.

The little boy shot up and looked over at the chair, his eyes going wide when he saw the man sitting there with a smile on his face. "Dean knight?"

"The one and only, little dude. Can I get a hug too?" he asked, holding his arms out.

Little Dean giggled again, and climbed off the couch to run over and give him a hug. Kneeling on big Dean's knee, he threw his arms around his neck, not noticing the older man wince when he made contact with the swollen area.

"H-Hey mini-me... not so tight," Dean told him, giving him a hug, gently moving the little arms away from his neck. Right now, he couldn't even remember why his neck hurt, but the only explanation he could think of was a bee sting, since he felt the same weakness as he had in the past when he was stung.

"Woves you awell Dean knight. Pay wiv me?" he asked, pulling away to look at him with his big puppy dog eyes out in full force.

Dean didn't want to upset him, especially when he looked up at him like that, but he really wasn't up to playing games right now. "Maybe later. My awesomeness isn't 100% today."

"Is you 'kay? I do picture so you's not be sad," he said, before climbing from big Dean's knee and running over to get his paper and felts out. When he found them, he sat on the floor with Zeppelin by his side, and looked up at the three men with a big happy grin.

Big Dean, Sam and Bobby smiled back at him, their hearts melting at the innocent little face. They were so relieved the potion had worked and he didn't remember what had happened the day before.

As he drew, the little boy began humming, his tongue peeking out of the side of his mouth as he concentrated. When he finished 2 colourful pictures, he got up and ran over to big Dean, waving the papers and jumping up and down.

"Calm down little dude," laughed big Dean, picking him up carefully to sit him on his knee. He looked at the first picture and smiled when he saw the big figure with a little one beside it with what looked like capes behind them, a yellow square and a pink starfish was on the other side of the paper. In the middle was a huge yellow shape with pointy teeth and something green on his head.

"Wow. That is the coolest picture ever. Okay, so this is me and you... What are these?" he asked pointing at the other shapes.

"Dat SpunBob Scarepants and Patick. And dis biiiiiiig ducky dat go in baff... and he grrrrr. We two is Batmans and beated him up."

"I bet you and me, SpongeBob and Patrick will beat that huge evil rubber ducks ass," said an amused Dean, smiling.

"Yeah. And save fwoggy on head... Ducky nasty to him and twy eat him."

The three men laughed and shook their heads. This kid had the weirdest imagination.

"It's awesome, little dude," he said, putting it in his jacket pocket so he didn't lose it. He nodded at the other picture. "Is this for Zep?"

"Yeah. Here Zeppin," he said, patting the chair so his dog could join them. When Zeppelin jumped up with them, he showed him the picture, which was a big black scribble in the air and a brown circle on top of it. On the left side was a green shape with something pink in the middle of it. "Wook. Dat Impa... she fying wiv Zeppin. Wabbit felled up twee and Zeppin go wide and save wabbit."

"How did the rabbit fall up the tree?" asked big Dean, still smiling.

"Um... I's not know. He gotted him and den wabbit foned powice... den soop Zeppin go fy and save him wiv Impa."

Big Dean's lips twitched as he tried not to laugh. "Okay then."

The little boy threw his arms around Zeppelin and hugged him. "You's 'ike it?" he asked his dog, who licked his face, and nuzzled his cheek. After hugging him, the little boy turned to his older self with an innocent expression. "Is you not sad no more?"

"I'm very happy now, mini-me."

The three year old smiled and turned to the TV, but he kept looking at big Dean, and eventually asked, "Is you Beetwejuice?"

Big Dean raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Am I what now?"

"You's wook 'ike Beetwejuice."

"Oh thanks," he said, even though he knew the pale face and dark circles around his eyes did make him look like a certain ghost.

"Is you be Beetwejuice for Haween? Sammy say it Haween in... erm... some days."

"Er..." Big Dean looked over at Sam, who nodded slightly. "Yeah. I'm gonna be the ghost with the most for Halloween, so I'm... practicing. IIIIIIITTTTTT'S SHOWTIME!" he yelled, throwing his arms in the air. "What do you think?"

Little Dean giggled. "Funny Dean knight. You's be bestest Beetwejuice ever and ever."

"I know," said big Dean with a wink.

* * *

Over the next half an hour, the living room was filled with happy laughter as little Dean sang to them and drew them all funny pictures.

After finishing his sixth picture, the little boy ran over to Bobby and climbed onto his knee. "Wook."

"Oooh. Look at that," said the older man, holding him and taking the picture to see the blue man with a hat on, an orange scribble with a tail, and a yellow thing. "What is it?"

"Dis unca Bee-bee and skiddal," he told him, pointing at the blue figure and orange scribble, then the yellow shape. "Dis yewwow 'nana... and you and skiddal fy up sky and die awiens."

"Okay. So it's me and a squirrel, who fly up to space on a banana and we kill aliens?" asked a smiling Bobby, to see if he understood it right.

Dean giggled again and clapped in delight. "Yeah. 'Ike it?"

"I love it, little man," Bobby told him, putting the drawing down to give him a hug. After holding him for a few minutes, he let him go so he could draw some more.

Next, he drew another picture for Sam. This one was of a really tall figure scribbled in black, and Sam scribbled in red and green, like Robin, fighting a big pink thing with a long neck and a multi-coloured face, which was apparently a giant pink chicken dressed like a clown.

"Who's this?" asked Sam, pointing at the huge man in black, who almost reached the top of the paper.

"Dat Undaker. You's fighted chicken cown, den gotted scareded... den Undaker gived him doomtone."

"I'm dressed like Robin, fighting a giant chicken randomly dressed as a clown. But then I get scared and the Undertaker tombstones him?"

"Yeah. Den he west in peas."

Sam threw his head back and laughed. "Thanks kiddo," he said, kissing Dean's cheek when he finished laughing.

Dean grinned, and went back to create some more masterpieces for his family.

While watching his little brother colour, Sam got up and walked over to big Dean and sat on the arm of the chair. "How are you feeling?" he whispered, so the little boy didn't hear them.

"I'm okay. Bobby's driving me crazy. He's been mother-henning me all day, since I apparently nearly died yesterday," he said with a frown as he shook his head, the potion seemed to have removed his memory of the day before too, but the pain in his neck was a reminder of his near-death experience. Dean sighed, and turned to the boring music that Bobby had put on the TV to keep him occupied. He raised his eyebrows when Sam started swaying slightly and humming along to the song that was playing. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What? It's not so bad. It's... catchy," said Sam, nodding along.

"So is the plague. Doesn't mean you have to dance to it. I swear if I have to watch any more of this crap, I'm gonna be bored into a coma."

"Dean, you can't be bored into a coma. It's not medically possible," Sam told him, trying not to think about Dean nearly dying the day before.

"Well, I'm about to make medical history."

"If ya don't shut up whining, yer gonna _be _medical history," Bobby threatened, holding the remote up like a weapon.

When the song changed to something even worse, Dean looked up at Bobby with a pleading expression. Bobby took pity on him, and flicked through the channels until he found a western. "There. Are ya happy?"

"Yeah. Thanks Bobby," said Dean, settling back in the chair with a happy smile on his pale freckled face.

When Sam looked out of the window, he saw that it was getting dark, so he got up to walk across the room.

"Sammy where go?"

Ruffling the soft blond hair as he passed, Sam smiled at him. "I'm going to draw the curtains, kiddo," he said, leaving a confused little boy behind.

"I's do it," he said, grabbing a purple felt.

When Sam turned back from drawing the curtains, it was to see Dean busy with another picture, while stroking Zeppelin with his free hand. He smiled and sat on the floor to watch his brother drawing.

When the little blond finished his picture, he held it out for Sam. "Here Sammy."

"Thanks kiddo," said Sam, taking the picture to see the brown shape with two purple scribbles attached to it. "What is it?"

"Dey c-c-cootuns," he told him, stuttering over the difficult word.

Sam's smile widened and he looked up to see the other two men were smiling too. "You've drawn the curtains? Awwww. Come here you," he said, putting the picture down, and lifting his little brother onto his knee, and wrapping his arms around him. "Could you be more adorable?"

Dean blushed and giggled shyly, hugging his big brother. "You's 'ike it, Sammy?"

"Yeah. It's the best picture of curtains I've ever seen." Actually, it was the only picture of curtains he had ever seen, but Dean didn't need to know that.

When the brothers pulled away, Dean smiled at him. "You woves me dis many, Sammy?" he asked, holding all of his fingers up.

"No."

The smile dropped from Dean's little face, replaced with a devastated expression. "You not woves me no more?" he asked, big green eyes filling with tears.

"Hey, of course I do," he said, lifting him into his arms to carry him over to the window. After opening one curtain, he wiped the tears falling down Dean's cheeks and pointed at the sky. "Do you see all those stars?"

Dean sniffled, and leaned forward so he could look up into the dark sky. "Yeah."

"If you count all those stars up there, and the whole universe, that's how many I love you."

The tiny Winchester scrunched his shoulders up, and gave Sam the cutest smile he had ever seen. "Sammy woves me."

"Hundreds and millions," Sam agreed, turning back to watch the stars.

"Dey's wook 'ike feckwes."

Sam smiled at him. "Yeah. I guess it does look like the sky has got freckles. But they're not as cute as yours," he said, running his finger down the freckled nose, making him giggle again.

Turning back to watch the stars, Dean laid his head against Sam's shoulder, and started singing softly. "Tinka tinka, 'ittle star. How's you are. Up word high, 'ike dime up sky. Tinka tinka, 'ittle star..."

"I love you, my little star," Sam finished, kissing Dean's hair and hugging him tightly.

The brothers stood by the window, watching the stars until they heard Bobby behind them.

"What do ya think yer doing, idjit?" he said, trying to prevent big Dean from standing.

"I'm gonna go a wrestle an alligator. What do you think I'm doing?" said Dean, batting Bobby's hands away and standing from the chair. "I need to take a leak... And no, you're not taking me."

Bobby sighed and stood back to watch as he slowly made his way out of the room and up the stairs. When Dean stopped halfway for a few seconds, Bobby made a quick decision and sent Zeppelin with him to keep an eye on him.

After making sure little Dean was okay, the German shepherd shot up and ran after big Dean.

"Oh for..." Dean sighed when he saw the dog walking beside him, and turned to glare at Bobby, who was looking at him innocently. He rolled his eyes, and continued on to the bathroom with his escort.

When he came back a few minutes later, Sam and Bobby let out sighs of relief at seeing him come back in one piece. They had been worried he was going to pass out again as soon as he was out of their sight.

Sam picked up the remote and started going through the channels, and found that a repeat of WWE Unforgiven from the month before was on. Little Dean had missed it, so Sam put that on for him so he could see his favourite wrestler return.

When the bell rang and the Undertaker's entrance started, little Dean squealed and ran over to sit on big Dean's knee, bouncing up and down excitedly. "UNDAKER, YAAAAAAAAY!"

Big Dean laughed, and hugged him as they watched the Undertaker's entrance. The little boy never took his wide eyes from the screen throughout the match, which the Undertaker won.

* * *

Awhile later, Sam had fallen asleep since he hadn't slept the night before and was exhausted, and Big Dean was still resting under Bobby's care.

Little Dean stood up and walked over to tug on Bobby's jeans. "Unca Bee-bee? I's hungy," he told him while sucking on his thumb.

Bobby looked at his watch, and was surprised that is was 6 o'clock. "Right, we better get ya something to eat," he said, before turning to big Dean. "Are ya gonna be okay in here while I make something to eat?"

Dean looked away from the Jack Nicholson movie he was watching and nodded. "Yeah. I've got my man Jack to keep me company."

"Okay then. Shout if ya need anything. Come on little man," said Bobby taking the little hand to lead him into the kitchen. He smiled fondly when he heard Zeppelin trotting along beside them.

After sitting Dean in his chair, Bobby went over to the freezer and took something out. After defrosting the lasange in the microwave, he placed it in the oven to cook for dinner. Knowing it was going to take awhile, and Dean hadn't eaten since breakfast, he poured them both a glass of milk and got a pack of oreos out of the cupboard.

"I think it's time ya learned something very important," he said, putting a few cookies on a plate, and placing them on the table as he sat down.

Dean reached over for an oreo, and was about to put it in his mouth when Bobby shook his head and said, "Nononono."

The little boy gasped and threw the cookie across the table with a frightened expression on his face, staring at the cookie as if he was expecting it to attack him.

Bobby chuckled and shook his head. "It's alright, little man. It's not gonna hurt ya," he said, picking the oreo back up and placing it back in the little hand. "Ya have to eat these in a special way. Watch." He got another oreo out, and took the top off to show Dean what to do. "Try and do it."

Dean nodded, and did what his uncle Bobby showed him, before looking at him again, silently asking what to do next.

"Do this," he told him, licking the white frosting in the middle a few times, before putting it back together again. He smiled when he saw Dean copying him, his eyes darting from his oreo, then Bobby's, then back up to Bobby's face.

"Now put it in the milk, like this," said Bobby, doing just that, and taking a bite.

Dean carefully placed his cookie in the milk, and took a small bite, scrunching his little shoulders up and smiling at his uncle Bobby, who winked at him. "Yummy, unca Bee-bee," he mumbled, taking another bite.

"Good job, little man," he said, taking another one apart to give to Zeppelin who was sitting in the chair next to Dean.

When Dean finished his first oreo, he smiled adorably and said, "I woves my unca Bee-bee hunded miwwion hunded fousand miwwion."

"Well, I happen to love my little man the exact same amount," he said with a smile, making Dean giggle.

After taking apart his second oreo, Dean scooped some of the white frosting onto his finger and put it on Zeppelin's nose. The German shepherd whined and tilted his head, before his tongue lolled out and started licking it off. The sight was comical, and the two of them couldn't help laughing.

After eating a few cookies as a little snack, Bobby poured another glass of milk and put two oreos on another plate. "Ya ready to go back in the room while dinner cooks?"

Dean looked at Bobby and nodded, still holding an oreo in his little hand. After getting down from his chair, he asked Bobby for his milk and walked into the living room carefully, holding it in both hands.

"There ya go," said Bobby, holding the milk and the plate of cookies out to big Dean, who took them with a smile. "I think it should be okay to eat something now."

"Thanks." Dean looked over at little Dean, who was nibbling on his own cookie after dunking it. "You taught him the special way, didn't you?" he asked, opening one of the cookies like Bobby had shown him all those years ago, and licking the white stuff.

"Yeah. Every child needs to learn how to eat oreos. I remember teaching ya, and then ya had to show Sam when he was old enough."

A fond smile lit up Deans face at the memory as he ate his cookies and drank the milk.

When little Dean had finished, he wanted big Dean to play with him, so he sat on the floor with his back resting against the chair so he didn't get dizzy again, and picked up Metallica. "Hey, I've got an idea of what we can play," he said, grabbing a car too. "Superhero mechanics. Mechanics have to save the world from evil cars... and Metallica can be the evil giant dog called Dogzilla who's the mastermind behind all the evil cars."

Bobby chuckled and shook his head, wondering if he had stepped into a Stephen King movie with the killer dogs and evil cars.

"Oooh," said little Dean, picking up the undertaker and Fred the fireman, ready for battle against the cars.

Big Dean drove the Impala and the Bat-mobile in-front of him, followed by a few other smaller cars to surround Metallica.

"Let's see if you can defeat both me and my loyal cars," said Dean as Dogzilla, before he started growling, which made Zeppelin look at him, tilting his head questioningly. He then grabbed Batman, and one of the small blue cars, and made them fight.

"OH NO! HE GOTTED ME! HEP ME!" the little boy yelled when one of the cars 'attacked' Fred.

Big Dean laughed, and joined in with Batman and saved the teddy.

* * *

A few hours later, it was bedtime, so after giving his uncle Bobby a goodnight kiss, little Dean grabbed his favourite teddies and was carried to bed by Sam. Big Dean and Zeppelin followed behind them to the bedroom.

After sitting in the dog bed and saying goodnight to Zeppelin, little Dean climbed onto the bed, and waited for big Dean to finished getting ready for bed in the bathroom. When he came into the room, he held Metallica out to him. "Here Dean knight. So you's not be sad and 'oney."

The older man smiled and took the offered teddy, which little Dean had let him sleep with on the first night. "Thanks little dude," he said, sitting on the bed with Metallica in his arms.

"You's stowy?" asked the little boy, sitting between the two men and cuddling up to them, so they wrapped their arms around him.

"Okay... Once upon a time Dean the knight and Samuel had a slight... disagreement about finding their dad Johnathon and a hunt he had sent them on. Samuel got out of the car and asked his brother to leave him there, so he did," said Sam, after some thought of which story to tell him.

"Yep. Then I continued to investigate where people were going missing, and discovered that they were being sacrificed to this weird-ass looking scarecrow and killed..."

As the two took it in turns to tell the story, big Dean was telling his part of the story, while Sam was telling Samuels. The little boy was clutching his undertaker teddy in his arms, his green eyes huge in his little face as he listened to the story.

"...Samuel kept calling Dean the knight, but there was no answer, which made him worried," said Sam, looking over at big Dean. "He decided his brother was more important than anything else, and went to find him."

Dean gave him a tiny smile and continued the story. "Back in the woods, me and the girl were both tied up to be sacrificed... and then the girl suddenly saw something come towards us..."

"Oh no," the little boy whispered, both hands covering his mouth, making the two men tighten their hold on him. "Monster gotted you, Dean knight?"

"No. When I saw who it was, I'd never been so happy to see my pain in the ass geekboy little brother in my life," said big Dean with a cheeky grin when Sam mock-glared at him.

"Samuel saved them both," said Sam, leaving out the violent parts, so he didn't scare him. "And in the morning the three of them destroyed the special tree, and took the girl to the bus stop. Then the brothers went back to the car and left to go on more adventures."

"Yep. And save the world from fugly lame-ass bitches... The end."

"YAAAAAAAAY!" cheered the little boy, clapping in delight.

When the little boy finished celebrating, Sam laid him down and plumped the pillows, and checked under them to make sure the charm was still under there like he did every night. When he was settled, Sam placed his teddies in his arms, and covered him up. "I love you... so much," he whispered, lowering his head to kiss his nose.

"Woves you Sammy." Dean smiled at him, and hugged his teddies until his eyelids fluttered closed and he relaxed in sleep.

Sam continued watching him sleep until he was sure he was sleeping peacefully. He turned to big Dean who was now sitting on the other bed, with Metallica on the pillow next to him so he didn't get 'lonely'.

Dean winced, and rubbed the back of his neck, before laying down and covering himself up.

"Are you alright?" he asked his brother, who predictably nodded. "Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, Sam."

"Okay. Goodnight. Wake me up if you need something." Sam turned the light off, and laid down in bed, holding little Dean to his chest, listening to his two brothers breathing. It was soothing to hear the inhales and exhales as they breathed in and out, knowing that if he could hear them, then they were both okay.

When Sam's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he looked over at big Dean and saw he was laying on his stomach and holding Metallica in the crook of one arm. Sam smiled at the sight of his older brother, snuggling up with a teddy as he slept.

Dean moaned in his sleep, which made the smile drop from Sam's face. He held little Dean tighter, and stroked his hair as he kept an eye on the two. It was hard to believe how close he had come to losing them both, because if big Dean had died, he knew little Dean would have never been the same again.

After what had happened, Sam was going to make sure they each had an epi pen handy in-case anything like this happened again. He couldn't go through it for a third time.

***The End.***

**Its not the best thing ever, but at least it'll explain why Sam's so protective of big Dean in UBLM and why he always makes sure he has his pen every time they go out.  
**


End file.
